German business, J & E Horst GmbH & Co. KG, has chosen the Doosan DL420CVT-5 as the preferred wheel loader for the company’s sand and gravel works in the Cologne region.
This follows an analysis of the performance of a new Doosan DL420CVT-5 wheel loader over the last year, which showed it provided the Horst team with exceptional efficiency with a combination of enormous power and significantly lower fuel consumption.
As a result, the company has purchased a total of three new DL420CVT-5s and has decided to replace all of the company’s current wheel loaders with DL420CVT-5s when they are phased out. This is in line with the preference for using Doosan wheel loaders that has been in place at J & E Horst for some years.
The DL420CVT-5 is the first model in the Doosan® wheel loader range to be equipped with a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). A CVT transmission is the result of a permanent combination of a hydraulic technology and a mechanical technology which provides a smooth and continuous speed variation.
The CVT design combines the benefits of a hydraulic mechanical transmission and a hydrostatic transmission in the same machine. It allows the DL420CVT-5 to automatically transition from hydrostatic power at low speed to the mechanical system to operate at higher speeds.
By combining the two types of transmission, the new CVT technology ensures high loads can be carried at low engine speeds with high dynamics for an optimum wheel loader operating cycle. The DL420CVT-5 therefore provides an increase in machine performance for operators working in digging, loading and lifting applications. For most tasks, operators will utilise the hydrostatic part of the transmission, which offers greater fuel efficiency in low-speed applications. The combination of the two transmissions is automatic and fully transparent for the operator.
Up to 25% Additional Fuel Savings
The complete driving range, forwards and in reverse, is controlled by the CVT system. Low engine speeds ensure a high efficiency and the highest driving comfort irrespective of the traction speed. The power splitting continuously variable technology facilitates moving off softly and hydraulically. Furthermore, with the CVT, a fuel saving of up to 25% can be achieved.
The ability to split hydrostatic and mechanical power has allowed Doosan to move to the Scania DC09 engine in the DL420CVT-5, as the CVT system maintains the machine’s efficiency even at low engine rpm. With an output of 232 kW (311 HP) of power at 1800 rpm, the Scania DC09 engine provides generous torque at low rpm.
At the company’s three sand and gravel facilities, J & E Horst produces gravel and sand using both wet and dry quarrying methods. The Doosan wheel loaders are among the big performers at the works. They make their performance count in both the recovery and loading phases. A total of five Doosan wheel loaders are currently in use at the various locations – including the three new DL420CVT-5s.
The newest DL420CVT-5 was commissioned in June 2019 on the 60 hectare gravel pit at Immendorf. Otto Hartmann, Operations Manager at J & E Horst, said: “The DL420CVT-5 was recommended by our Doosan dealer, Michels. After we had had the machine on test for just ten days here at the gravel plant, we already found the machine to be fast, but also sustainable in operation. The new DL420CVT-5 consumes three litres less fuel per operating hour compared to the DL420-5 with standard 5-speed powershift transmission. Whilst at the same time providing us with higher performance.
“This lower fuel consumption has been confirmed in the daily operation of the first machine. That’s why we decided on the DL420CVT-5 for the other new machine purchases. With around 1500 to 2000 engine hours per wheel loader per year, the CVT transmission offers enormous potential savings, so that the low additional costs of the CVT machine pay off in just a short time.”
CVT – Tremendous Efficiency and Highest Performance
J & E Horst uses the DL420CVT-5 in conjunction with a 4.5 m³ heavy duty bucket. The driver at the gravel plant is totally convinced about the new Doosan machine: “You notice the change in the new machine, especially when braking. When you take your foot off the accelerator, the engine slows down so that the brake is less frequently used. At the same time, the machine is better working in the material.”
Optimal Overall Package
The new DL420CVT-5 is the eighth wheel loader that J & E Horst has purchased from Doosan dealer, Michels, and the company regularly replaces the wheel loaders after five years. Otto Hartmann added: “Michels offers us a very good overall package with the Doosan machines, consisting of a reliable machine, a good purchase price with suitable financing and outstanding service. And if there are any problems, we can count on Michels to help us out quickly.”
